Dale McDowell

Remember These?

Remember when!
We all know what todays cars look like, and who the drivers are. But do you remember the older NASCAR rides, dirt late models, or dragsters, and the drivers who wheeled them from the past? ...

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A look back into the early days of NASCAR!

A look at Rockingham Today..

A look at Rockingham Speedway today

When the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series left Rockingham Speedway in 2004, the 1.017-mile track in North Carolina sat dormant for years.
The facility was revived briefly by former driver Andy Hillenburg and NASCAR returned with the Camping World Truck Series in 2012 and 2013. 'The Rock' was also used during that time by late model series and the ARCA Racing Series.
Rockingham hosted a total of 78 Sprint Cup Series races from Oct. 1965 until Feb. 2004 and 42 XFINITY Series races from June 1982 until Feb. 2003. However, the track now sits unused and often unappreciated.
After Sunday's race at Darlington Raceway, a fan took a trip to Rockingham Speedway and shared a few pictures on social media. The overgrown condition of the facility caught many off guard and brought up memories for many NASCAR competitors.
(foxsports)
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AMAZON Deals!

Dale Jr in his dads IROC Uniform

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Before I put this old thing under lock and key, I just had to try it on. Dads 2001 IROC uniform.

Before I put this old thing under lock and key, I just had to try it on. Dads 2001 IROC uniform.

"The guy bought it on eBay and just walked up to me and handed it to me," said Junior after receiving the gift at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "He said he thought I should have it. I thought it was very nice. Very cool."

This was the fire suit that Dale Earnhardt wore while competing in an IROC (International Race of Champions) race at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 16, 2001. Two days later, "The Intimidator" died in a crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

(nascar.com)

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1965: Ned Jarrett captured his second NASCAR Cup title in his Bony Long 65' Ford.

Former driver and broadcaster Ned Jarrett has put up stats that would be envied by many NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers. The 2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee earned a total of 50 wins, 185 top fives, 239 top 10s and two Sprint Cup titles before hanging up his helmet for good in 1966.

Jarrett recently sat down to reflect on being the first driver to win a NASCAR title driving a Ford, as well as being the winningest driver to pilot a Ford in NASCAR competition.

"When I learned that I had won the championship and was the first one to win it in a Ford, it made me extremely proud," said Jarrett, who drove a Ford Galaxie to the 1965 premier series championship. "I grew up in a Ford family. My dad had a farm and a sawmill and a Ford car and Ford trucks. When tractors came out, he bought a Ford tractor, so I was pretty well married to Ford. I grew up in them, and when I learned I was the first driver to win a championship, I was beside myself. I felt better after learning that than I did about winning the championship to start with. It's just a great feeling."

The original “Dale Call”!

Jeff Gordon will join the NASCAR on Fox broadcast booth for 2016

Since winning NASCAR rights for the first time in 2001, the trio of Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds has been in the broadcast booth for Fox Sports. The three have seen NASCAR ride the roller coaster of national popularity and called some of the most tragic and most memorable moments in the history of the sport.

For the 2016 season, Fox will make their first change in the broadcast booth. McReynolds will move to the studio with host Chris Myers and analyst Michael Waltrip to make way for a new analyst Jeff Gordon.

The four time champ will move straight from the cockpit to the broadcast booth to join Joy and Darrell Waltrip when he retires from racing after this season.

The Legend of the Checkered Flag!

What is the origin of the Checkered Flag? The checkered flag is the most recognizable flag in NASCAR. Dropped only once, it signals the end of the race. The story behind why the checkered flag is checkered, though, is a bit of a mystery. A standard theory that has been passed down through the years dates the checkered flag origins back to the 1800s. Racing at that point was done on horseback, and those at the races would typically eat together afterward. To signal when dinner was ready and the racing should end, a tablecloth – which, during this time period, was checkered – was waved.

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Coming Soon! The Bobby Allison Life Story Movie!

Posse Films, LLC, the inspirational feature film production company that controls the rights to several historically significant and uplifting life stories, recently announced the making of a biopic about the larger-than-life NASCAR pioneer, and NASCAR Hall of Fame member, Bobby Allison.

Together with the Allison family, the Posse Films team will put the dramatic story of one of the greatest NASCAR legends on the silver screen. Posse Films is in pre-production on the heart-centered motivational story of Bobby Allison. "My family and I are thrilled to have this film produced by Posse Films," Bobby Allison said in a recent statement. "Mark and his team at Posse Films are like family to us, and I know we can trust them with our story."

The movie project will be based on Bobby Allison's rise to the top of NASCAR as a three-time Daytona 500 winner, followed by a crash that ended Bobby's career at 50 years of age. Thereafter, Bobby and Judy suffer the loss of their two beloved racing sons. The film will showcase the highs and lows of the 55-year love story between Bobby and Judy Allison.

An independent feature film on the life story of NASCAR legend, Bobby Allison, developed by Bobby Allison Production LLC. ("The Company") is scheduled to commence pre-production in late 2014 and filming in early 2015. Theatrical release is planned for fall 2015.(allisonfilm.com)(4-5-2015)

Gordon reveals the number – not #24 – that he wanted to use in Sprint Cup!

Jeff Gordons #16 Sprint Car in the mid 1980;s

Rookie Jeff Gordon and his famous Rainbow colored #24 at Daytona 1993,

Over 776 career starts in NASCAR's top series, Jeff Gordon has always raced with one number: The No. 24.

But Gordon - a four-time champion and winner of 92 races at NASCAR's premier level - would have actually competed with a different digit if he had originally had it his way.

Fielding questions from a group of students during a recent visit to his old middle school in Vallejo, California, the Hendrick Motorsports driver admitted he's always had a special affinity for the No. 16.

"When I was racing when I was younger, one of the cars that I had was No. 16," Gordon said during a special promotional stop ahead of this weekend's Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. "I loved that car and won a lot of races. It was one of the first cars that I ever had. That number has always stuck with me. When I started racing sprint cars, we put 16 on that car."

When Gordon joined NASCAR's top series full time in 1993, the No. 16 belonged to the Jack Roush-owned Ford of driver Wally Dallenbach Jr. - now a NASCAR analyst for FOX Sports 1.

Greg Biffle has used the number since going fulltime Sprint Cup racing for Roush in 2003.

"I wanted to be #16 in NASCAR, to be honest, but it wasn't available," Gordon said. "That number was already taken, so Rick Hendrick went with #24, and it's worked out pretty good. So I do like #24, but #16 is actually probably my favorite number. Twenty-four is my number. That's what I'm associated with, and I love it. But #16 is my favorite number."

Who knew?

(nascar.com/foxsports.com)

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NASCAR Funny!

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The Pit Bull Sheet

“News, opinions, and tall tales………..”

Dale Earnhardt Jr driving the Petty blue Ford #”3″….

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recounts time he drove Petty-blue No. ‘3’ Ford

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a Chevrolet driver for life, through and through.

Except for that one time he wasn’t.

On the anniversary of Bobby Hamilton’s death, the former driver of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet told a story Sunday morning about how the 2004 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion helped him out in a dire situation at the race track one time. It was, as Earnhardt put it, “the only time I ever drove anything besides a Chevrolet in a race.”

The year was 1996, and Earnhardt was entered in a late model race at Fairgrounds Speedway (Nashville). He had the dominant car in practice and was having so much fun driving it, he wanted to make one last run around the 0.596-mile oval despite his crew chief telling him to bring it in.

Lo and behold, a wreck in front of him forced him down the backstretch where he was rear-ended by another car at full speed. Both cars burned to the ground.

While lamenting the loss of the stout entry with his crew chief at the hauler, a voice echoed from behind.

“Do you want to race?”

It was Hamilton.

“Of course I want to race,” said Earnhardt.

“Well, I’ve got a car you can drive.”

Hamilton, a four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner, started to tell Earnhardt about the car … a Ford.

He’d been trying to sell it because his driver at the time, Casey Atwood, wasn’t a fan of it and it needed some adjustments. Thus, it was just sitting on a trailer, ready to be raced.

“I’m thinking, ‘I can’t drive it, because it’s a Ford.’ But I want to race real bad. So I’m calling my dad trying to see if I can get a hold of him and try to ask him if I can drive this Ford. It’s a Petty blue, because Bobby at the time I think must have been driving for Richard in the Cup Series and it had No. 43 on it.

“I couldn’t get a hold of dad, but I got a hold of dad’s general manager. … He said, ‘Yeah, go ahead and drive it. Just don’t talk about it and try not to make too big of a deal about it.’ ”

Earnhardt said he and his team then took duct tape and covered up the ‘4’, leaving just the ‘3’ uncovered.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. tops best-selling die-casts from 2017

The die-cast car from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final race as a full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver was the best-selling paint scheme for Lionel Racing in 2017.

Lionel Racing released its top 10 list Thursday. Earnhardt paint schemes take up five of the 10 spots. The Axalta/Last Ride car at Homestead-Miami Speedway consisted of a design Earnhardt drove early in his career.

Andy Petree retained by RCR as advisor

In an effort to strengthen its future, Richard Childress Racing dipped into its past this week, announcing that former championship-winning crew chief Andy Petree will serve in an advisory role with the three-team organization.

Petree served as crew chief at RCR from 1993-95, winning back-to-back championships with driver Dale Earnhardt in ‘93-94. Earnhardt finished second in points in ’95.

“Richard is totally committed to winning, I can tell you that,” Petree told NASCAR.com. “And that’s the whole reason behind this.” Petree said he will be at the race track each week for the remainder of the 2017 season. He will continue to serve as an analyst on NASCAR Race Hub, the daily NASCAR news program on FS1.

“I miss being in the game,” Petree admitted. “I see a lot of things — I still stay awake at night thinking of things to do, wondering why people do certain things. And if I have smart people to bounce things off of, that would be the ultimate.

“And I’ve got that now with Richard’s teams. I’m so excited about the potential that’s there.”

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: MOORESVILLE, N.C. (December 8, 2017) – Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) announced today a new partnership between the two organizations. RCR will supply chassis and engineering support to the team. The RPM entry will receive horsepower from ECR Engines, the high-performance engine production, research and development subsidiary of RCR. With the transition, RPM will permanently move its team headquarters adjacent to the RCR campus in Welcome, N.C. The move will begin immediately and be completed by January.

Danica Patrick’s talks with Ganassi break down

Talks between Danica Patrick and Chip Ganassi Racing about driving in the 2018 Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 appear to have broken down, according to Chip Ganassi, who informed a packed crowd of the news at the Performance Racing Industry Show (PRI Show) opening breakfast. Now, it looks like whatever deal may have been in the works with Chip Ganassi Racing is no longer moving forward.

Bowman unveils new 2018 #88 Axalta Camaro

CONCORD, N.C. – To kick off a season of change, the #88 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will debut a fresh look when it hits the track at Daytona in 2018. Thursday afternoon, Alex Bowman removed the car cover on the Axalta machine that he will pilot next season. Featuring a predominately darker base color with bright pops of color on the sides, the unique scheme is a bit of a contrast to the fiery Axalta Chevy that Dale Earnhardt Jr. piloted in 2017.

Dodge Won’t Return to NASCAR

It was ostensibly a press conference for Ferrari’s 2016 Finali Mondiali at Daytona International Speedway last December 4, but perhaps the biggest revelation to come out of that presser concerned NASCAR, with Sergio Marchionne, chief executive officer of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, saying he was interested in getting Chrysler, most likely Dodge, back into NASCAR.

This came as a surprise to Dodge employees at the highest level. But given Marchionne’s revelation, the company did its due diligence, researching what a return to NASCAR would involve. Company executives met with NASCAR officials more than once, including a meeting at this year’s North American International Auto Show.

Unfortunately for Dodge loyalists, the analysis regarding a return to the sport showed that it would be too complex and, more importantly, too expensive. Part of the problem would be finding a team with top-tier engine-building capability-and there just aren’t many choices now that the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup series has consolidated engine-building among a handful of teams (Or in Toyota’s case, the company itself.) Dodge would prefer to supply the engine specifications and have the engines built by the team, like they were at Penske. But there are minimal options. (jayski.com)

70 Years, Thousands of Races, and Martinsville Speedway is proud to announce that lights will now be installed at Martinsville Speedway!

Martinsville Speedway will be the first major motorsports facility to install LED Lights through the help of Graybar, Ephesus Lighting, & Eaton Lighting.

“To be able to light this track up when the sun goes down, that’s going to be something truly special,” said Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell. “Our fans have told us that they want lighting. We’re pleased to provide them with another amenity which will ensure Martinsville continues to be one of the premier destinations in motorsports.”

Construction of the track lighting will begin after the fall race on October 30, 2016.

Carolina Panthers and Bruton Smith?? …….Marcus Smith confirms interest in Carolina Panthers: Speedway Motorsports Inc. CEO and Charlotte Motor Speedway general manager Marcus Smith, during a Wednesday interview with the Observer, affirmed what his father said last month: The Smiths would be interested in eventually purchasing the Carolina Panthers. Bruton Smith, a billionaire track owner and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, told Motorsport.com last month that his sons want him to buy the NFL franchise when it becomes available. The younger Smith said there’s definitely interest. “It’s just one of those things where it’s not even on the market,” Marcus Smith said Wednesday. “Would we be interested? Yeah. It would be an incredible opportunity and such a neat opportunity and property for anybody to be able to shepherd into the future. We’re in the sports entertainment world now and we love what we do, and (I) think it’d be fun to do more of it.”(Charlotte Observer/JAYSKI.COM)

No Love? ……. No we all know about the “No Love” between Joey Lagano and Matt Kenseth, and the Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards gentle rivalry… BUT! We can now add to the “No Love” column – Danica Patrick vs Kasey Kayne. Let the Battles begin!! Hate and rivalries have always been a good thing for NASCAR….. it sells tickets……..

Amelia laid to rest……… Earnhardt said he is sending his car, which he affectionately calls Amelia, in honor of Amelia Earhart (seriously), into retirement rather than repair and patch it up after a couple of accidents from a race at Talladega. It is the same car he drove in wins in 2015 at Talladega and Daytona. Earnhardt said the car was not racing well at Daytona and Talladega this year anyway, so the writing may have been on the wall for Amelia.

So what will happen to Amelia now?

Earnhardt Jr. has a graveyard near Mooresville, NC consisting of some of his former race cars as well as race cars from other drivers he has aquired. Amelia will now have a final resting place in this junkyard museum of Earnhardt’s.

The question now is, who will Dale Jr. name his next favorite car after?

NASCAR still waiting on Monster Energy’s sponsorship decision

Six month ago executives from NASCAR and Monster spoke positively about their still new and developing relationship that saw the energy drink maker take over entitlement sponsorship duties from Sprint, which had the role since 2004. Both sides were optimistic Monster would exercise a two-year option and remain in the role through 2020, with a decision needed by December.

But in the months since the bloom has fallen off the rose to some degree and behind the scenes there isn’t as much enthusiasm Monster will re-up its deal. In fact, Monster not only asked for an extension of the December deadline – until just after the first of the year – but also asked for a second extension until the spring, multiple industry sources told SB Nation. NASCAR granted both requests, though has quietly begun identifying new and potential replacements in case Monster doesn’t renew.

Although Monster has its share of critics who feel more could be done related to television buys and at-track activation, the reality is the company has brought a much needed fresh approach that has nudged NASCAR out of its comfort zone. And if Monster were to opt out, it places NASCAR in a precarious position for the second time in three years where the search for an entitlement sponsor becomes a pervasive cloud hanging over the season that overshadows what’s happening on the track.

DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – In year four of its award-winning throwback platform, Darlington Raceway will be celebrating “Seven Decades of NASCAR” for its 2018 campaign.

The Official Throwback Weekend of NASCAR will be celebrated during the track’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500® and NASCAR XFINITY Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 weekend on Aug. 31-Sept. 2.

“The entire NASCAR Community has lost a pillar of our sport with the passing of Robert Yates,” Jack Roush said. “Robert was true to all he held dear — a fierce competitor, a dedicated and inspired leader and a passionate family man. For me he was the type of competitor that brought out the best in everyone around him and he was a wonderful partner and friend. I am very fortunate to have been able to team up with, and learn from, Robert Yates.”

Yates, who passed away after a battle with liver cancer in October 2017, was selected for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2018 in May. His Robert Yates Racing team, which will be featured on the hood of Stenhouse’s car, won 57 races and 48 pole positions in nearly twenty years of racing.

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. made his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway on October 29, a familiar face lead him and the rest of the field to the green flag. Earnhardt’s wife, Amy, will served as the Honorary Pace Car Driver for the First Data 500.

While driving the pace car was a first for Amy, she is no stranger to Martinsville, as she was by Dale’s side in Victory Lane when he picked up his only career win at the historic Speedway three years ago. (nascar.com)

Darrell Waltrip poses with one of his DiGard Chevrolets at Daytona International Speedway. Waltrip drove for DiGard from 1976 through 1980 and scored 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins during that period. (RacingOne ISC Archives via Getty Images)

The Hendrick Motorsports driver helped kick the celebration of his neighborhood pal Ryan Blaney’s first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win up a notch on Sunday night/Monday morning by bringing the beer. And lots of it.

“Dale’s a damn good friend, man,” Blaney said in an Instagram Live video Monday morning. “He dropped off four coolers of beer. Four damn coolers. That was really special.”

Charlotte Motor Speedway cans the first batches of 600 Ale

Charlotte Motor Speedway added to its historic legacy in a unique manner on Wednesday, as 600 Ale – the speedway’s first officially licensed beer – went into cans at Cabarrus Brewing Company.

Cans of 600 Ale – a smooth American Ale – will be sold on speedway property during the May 19-28 10 Days of NASCAR Thunder.

“We are very excited about 600 Ale,” Charlotte Motor Speedway Executive Vice President Greg Walter said. “This process was years in the making. It means a lot for us to be a part of the craft beer industry and we hope that everyone enjoys our first licensed craft beer.”

There is nothing more significant and relevant in Cabarrus County than Charlotte Motor Speedway,” said Cabarrus Brewing Company owner Steve Steinbacher. “Cabarrus Brewing Company is all about being local, so we’re thrilled with the opportunity to partner with the speedway and to make sure that this beer provides a great experience for all.”

The addition of the New Turn 4 Sun Deck

at Charlotte Motor Speedway!

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Not the 1st time dad climbed fence after win

By Kenny Bruce | NASCAR.com

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. nearly didn’t see his father in Victory Lane on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

That’s because his father, Ricky Stenhouse Sr., almost didn’t get there.

The elder Stenhouse watched the race from Turn 3, and when he saw his son win for the first time in 158 career NASCAR Cup starts, he wanted to celebrate. And he apparently was willing to do just about anything to get to his son, who was parked in the celebration area behind the frontstretch.

At first, the excited man in his mid-50s tried to climb the Turn 3 fence to get on the track and run to Victory Lane.

“He found out he couldn’t,” Talladega spokesman Russell Branham said.

Stenhouse’s father eventually ran on the road that runs on the perimeter of the track — probably at least a half-mile — to the Turn 4 tunnel, but no one is allowed to walk through the tunnel. So track security promptly put the determined Ricky Sr. in a vehicle to calm him down. The detention was short-lived.

Apparently, this wasn’t the first attempt by Stenhouse’s father to climb a fence. After an ARCA victory at Kentucky Speedway in 2008, Stenhouse Jr. figured his father had climbed the backstretch fence. So he went looking for his dad.

When I won at Kentucky, he climbed the fence, and I climbed the other side and met him at the top,” Stenhouse Jr. said.

Stenhouse Jr. said his father already was stressed because his golf cart was apparently stolen Saturday.

“My dad has done so much for me and my career,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “Everything I have learned is from him.”

Retiring at a young age from NASCAR

Ned Jarrett, two-time Champion stopped at age 33

1965: Ned Jarrett captured his second NASCAR Cup title in his Bony Long 65′ Ford.

With only one victory in 1961, Jarrett put together a ton of consistent finishes in the top five and won his first

championship. In 1965, he competed in 54 of 55 races and won his second championship with an impressive 13 wins.

Jarrett won 50 races in 352 career races, while posting 185 top-five and 239 top-10 finishes. His average finish was 9.2 for his career.

After fighting to steadily compete in his early 20s, Jarrett competed in a majority of races in 1960 and went to Victory Lane five times. Jarrett finished in the top-five in points for six-straight seasons.

RacingOneISC Archives via Getty Images

Fred Lorenzen, 26 wins and retired at 37

Lorenzen raced for 12 seasons from 1956 to 1972 before retiring from racing. Lorenzen follows the trend of drivers who started in NASCAR’s early days to make the Hall of Fame as someone who retired at 37 or younger.

With 26 total wins, Lorenzen’s win total stacks up closer to Edwards. Lorenzen posted 75 top-five and 84 top-10 finishes in his career. Fast Freddie posted a career average finish of 13.3.

RacingOneISC Archives via Getty Images

Junior Johnson, age 35

After racing for 14 years and 313 races from 1953 to 1966, Johnson retired from racing and became a full-time car owner.

Johnson put together an impressive win total during his career, with a career-high of 13 wins in 1965. He totaled 121 top-five and 148 top-10 finishes in his career. He posted a 13.5 average finish.

Along with Johnson’s accomplishments as a driver, he became a full-time car owner and won six championships with Cale Yarborough and Darrell Waltrip. He totaled 132 wins as a car owner and those accomplishments definitely bolster his status to make him a lock as a Hall of Famer.

RacingOneISC Archives via Getty Images

Tim Flock, age 37

After racing for 13 years and 187 races from 1949 to 1961, Flock retired from NASCAR. The times were surely different back then and Flock was one of the founding stars of the sport.

Flock won a total of 39 races in his career and boasts the best career win percentage by a full-time driver (20.856 percent). He posted 102 top-five and 129 top-10 finishes in his 13-year career.

In 1952 and 1955, Flock won the Grand National Series championship. He posted eight wins in 1952 and an impressive 18 in 1955. His career average finish is 9.5 and he didn’t race in more than 10 races in a season after 1956.

Carl Edwards, age 37 with 28 wins

Edwards raced full-time from 2005 to 2016 and won 28 races in 445 career starts. He posted 124 top-five and 220 top-ten finishes. Edwards posted a career average finish of 13.6.

This is a different era of racing than the one Lorenzen, Jarrett, Flock, and Johnson competed in so Edwards will be judged differently than the other four. Only time will tell if we ever see Edwards race again and if he accomplished enough to be a Hall of Famer

As Kyle Busch and wife Samantha were leaving the track at Watkins Glen on Saturday after the XFINITY race, he spotted a fans camper with a huge #18 decal on the side. He stopped and walked over to the camper, climbed the tires, and autographed the decal, another sign of a true champion! Samantha tweeted “They’re not here now, but won’t they be surprised when they return to their camper!”

NASCAR’s Richest Teams and Drivers: Forbes has released its annual ranking of Sprint Cup teams and drivers based on earnings. Once again, Hendrick tops the charts. The top 10 teams and drivers and their estimated value:

Highest earning NASCAR teams:

Hendrick Motorsports $375 million

Joe Gibbs Racing $256 million

Stewart-Haas Racing $195 million

Richard Childress Racing $175 million

Roush Feneway Racing $155 million

Team Penske $140 million

Chip Ganassi Racing $75 million

Richard Petty Motorsports $55 million

Front Row Motorsports $26 million

BK Racing $24 million

Highest earning NASCAR drivers:

#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. $23.5 million

#48-Jimmie Johnson $22.2 million

Jeff Gordon $21.6 million

#4-Kevin Harvick $15.5 million

#11-Denny Hamlin $15.1 million

#18-Kyle Busch $15.0 million

#10-Dania Patrick $13.4 million

#14-Tony Stewart $12.8 million

#19-Carl Edwards $12.1 million

#20-Matt Kenseth $11.9 million

Total earnings equals salary/winnings plus endorsements and licensing

In addition, Forbes estimates the actual cash value of a NASCAR charter to be $15-$17 million.

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NASCAR Drivers with at least 500 consecutive starts

Roush Fenway Racing’s Greg Biffle will join an elite club at Phoenix International Raceway, where he will make his 500th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.

Biffle made his first start at Auto Club Speedway on April 28, 2002, finishing 13th. Biffle made 7 starts that year, and has started in every race since the 2003 season began.

Here are the 16 Drivers who have 500 or more consecutive NASCAR Premier Series starts.

Jamie McMurray, 506

McMurray got his first start subbing for injured Sterling Marlin at Talladega in October 2002. A week later, he won at Charlotte.

Richard Petty, 513

The seven-time champion started every race from the beginning of the 1972 season until March 26, 1989, when Petty failed to qualify at Richmond.

Tony Stewart, 521

The 3-time NASCAR Champion competed in every race from his rookie season of 1999 until August 2013, when he was injured in a sprint car race in Iowa.

Kevin Harvick, 530

In 2002, Harvick missed a NASCAR Premier Series race at Martinsville Speedway. Since then, he’s had a perfect record of competing in every race.

Ryan Newman, 538

Way back in 2002, Newman defeated Jimmie Johnson for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. And he’s been in every race since then.

Jimmie Johnson, 538

Johnson has had a spectacular career so far, in contention for his seventh NASCAR Premier Series championship.

Matt Kenseth, 571

The 2000 season saw Kenseth move to the NASCAR Premier Series. His streak of consecutive starts was snapped last season when he was suspended for two starts.

Ken Schrader. 579

The popular Missouri racer saw his consecutive-start streak end when he failed to qualify for the 2003 Brickyard 400.

Mark Martin, 621

Martin hooked up with Jack Roush at the beginning of the 1988 season and didn’t miss a race until he went to a part time schedule in 2007.

Jeff Burton, 626

Another alumnus of Roush Fenway Racing, Burton competed in every race from the start of the 1997 season until the end of the 2013 season.

Dale Earnhardt, 648

Tragically, Earnhardt died in a last lap crash at Daytona in 2001. Prior to his death, the last time Earnhardt missed a race was in 1979.

Terry Labonte, 655

Known as “Iron Man”, Labonte’s streak started with the first race of the 1979 season and ended in the 2000 Brickyard 400.

Rusty Wallace, 697

Impressively, the 1989 Premier Series Champion ran every race from the start of the 1984 season until the end of 2005, when he retired.

Bobby Labonte, 704

Another tough Texan and the 2000 Premier Series Champion, Labonte’s streak ran from the start of the 1993 season until he missed a race at Kentucky in June 2013.

Ricky Rudd, 788

One of NASCAR’s toughest drivers, Rudd once ran the Daytona 500 with his swollen eyelids literally duct-taped open following a vicious crash in the Busch Clash. His streak stretched from 1981 to 2005.

Jeff Gordon, 797

Gordon made his Premier Series debut in the final race of the year at Atlanta in 1992, where Alan Kulwicki won the Championship in a five-way shootout and Richard Petty ran his last race. Gordon didn’t miss a single race until he retired at the end of 2015.

If there’s one trophy a driver dreams of putting his hands on, it’s the Harley J. Earl trophy.

Awarded to the winner of the Daytona 500, the Harley J. Earl trophy is one of the most prized possessions in motorsports. Named after Harley J. Earl, a famous General Motors designer and friend of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., the Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy rests year round inside The Daytona 500 Experience, “The Official Motorsports Attraction of NASCAR,” and bears the name of every Daytona 500 champion.

Each year, the Harley J. Earl Perpetual Trophy makes a trip outside the attraction to the hallowed grounds of Gatorade Victory Lane at the “World Center of Racing” for a meeting with the Daytona 500 champion. While the Daytona 500 champion doesn’t take home the Harley J. Earl trophy, the winner of the “Great American Race” is awarded a replica Harley J. Earl trophy, which has a black base with a scaled-down replica of the Firebird One that Earl created in 1954 at the peak of his career with General Motors. For the 50th running of the Daytona 500, the trophy was painted gold. The Harley J. Earl trophy is just one of three trophies awarded on the day of the Daytona 500. The winning crew chief of the Daytona 500 champion is awarded the Cannonball Baker trophy, which is named after the famous coast-to-coast racer who was elected the first national commissioner of NASCAR in 1948 while the owner of the winning Daytona 500 champion is awarded the Governor’s Cup.(DIS PR) Richard Earl, a former Wall Street broker and youngest grandson of Earl, makes his living selling Harley Earl-designed cars. ” ‘Motoramic masterpieces’ is how I like to refer to them,” he said.(3-24-2009/2-21-2015) (jayski.com)

The Petty’s – History of the #40’s

The Pettys have a history of running the 40’s on all their cars. Petty’s brother, Maurice, was the crew chief on the No. 40 in 1970 when the Plymouth Superbird made it’s debut, and was driven by Pete Hamilton.

“We’ve had a lot of other drivers race for Petty Enterprises and Richard Petty Motorsports, but when Maurice wanted to be the Crew Chief for the Superbird in 1970, we hired Pete Hamilton who was a big star racing up in New England. We really felt that car was a big part of the Petty stable, so we used the number 40,” Petty said in a release. “Pete and Chief won the 500 and swept the races at Talladega that year. That built the legacy of the number 40 with the family.”

Maurice, or “Chief” as he was often called, raced the No. 41 for the team for a short time, along with Buck Baker later in the early 60’s. Both Maurice Petty and Buck Baker were inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Lee Petty, “The King’s” father, is most remembered for racing the No. 42 throughout his career, also ran the No. 41. Lee’s career in the No. 42 included three championships and 54 victories. When Richard then got the itch to race, the numbers continued in order.

“When we got going into the 1959 season, it just made sense for me to go to the track with the 43 number with Daddy still racing the 42. That allowed me to have my own identity, and fate took it from there.”

The fate that Petty speaks of is a career behind the wheel of the No. 43 spanning from 1959 through 1992, compiling 200 career wins and seven championships, ultimately earning him his nickname of “The King.”

When Richard’s son, Kyle, took to the track, he would begin his career in the No. 42, honoring his grandfather, however the No. 44 is in the Pettys’ eyes for Kyle’s number. The #44 was the first number Kyle drove in the ARCA Series, and then in the later part of his career, Kyle would be at the wheel of the No. 44 again for Petty Enterprises with Hot Wheels as the team sponsor. He would run that number from 1997 until 2000. For him, it is only appropriate to see the Petty number back on the track.

Adam Petty, son of Kyle would debut in the No. 45 in the ARCA series, winning in his first start. The number stayed with him to the point where he made his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start in 2000, the first time a fourth-generation driver would start a Cup race. Unfortunately for the Petty family, Adam lost his life in a testing crash at New Hampshire later that year. Kyle would continue racing the following year, however would switch car numbers to 45 to honor his son.

(examiner.com)

Pete Hamilton in the Petty Enterprises #40 in 1970. He won the Daytona 500 in that year in the Plymouth Superbird.

Petty Enterprises #41 driven by Buck Baker 1964

Lee Petty in his #42 – the winner on the first Daytona 500 in 1959.

Richard Petty with his famous #43 at Daytona – 1969

Kyle Petty in the #44 wins in his first start – the ARCA Series race at Daytona 1979.

— Nine drivers already in the NASCAR Hall of Fame competed in at least one race in the No. 3 in what is now known as the Sprint Cup Series: Tim Flock, Cotton Owens, Fireball Roberts, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Buck Baker, Fred Lorenzen and Dale Earnhardt.

Of those nine, Earnhardt, Johnson, Pearson, Baker and Roberts won races in the No. 3.

The first driver to compete in the No. 3 in a NASCAR Premier Series race? That would be Bill Snowden, who finished fifth in his No. 3 Nash at Occoneechee (N.C.) Speedway on Aug. 7, 1949. Back then, it was called the NASCAR Strictly Stock Series, and ’49 was its first year.

— The first driver to win a race in the No. 3 in the NASCAR Premier Series? That would be Dick Rathmann, who drove the No. 3 Hudson Hornet to victory at Oakland Stadium on March 28, 1954. Rathmann won $1,000 for claiming the race.

— The most obscure winner in the No. 3 was probably Danny Letner, who on Aug. 1, 1954, won a 300-lapper at Oakland Stadium in a Hudson Hornet. Letner, 87, is a native of Downey, California.

“Days of Thunder is hands down my favorite movie, and M&M’s Crispy is my favorite flavor M&M’s, so to pay homage to both of those legends is amazing,” said Busch. “I’ve seen Days of Thunder more than 100 times, so when I saw the script for the shoot, I was blown away.”

After the video, stay tuned and watch the bloopers in the making of the video!

Speedway Names Trivia………….

Did you ever Wonder?

What makes a race track a short track or a superspeedway?

Pretty simple actually, an oval track of one(1) mile or more is considered a superspeedway. An oval tracks under a mile in length is considered a short track. At present there are only three short tracks, Bristol(.533 mile), Martinsville(.526 mile) and Richmond(.75 mile). Of course Sears Point and Watkins Glen are road courses. (jayski.com)

How much does it cost a team owner to enter a NASCAR Sprint Cup race?

If the entry blank is mailed and received on time [usually 13 days before the race date] the entry fee is $4,300 to enter a car in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. The fee is none-refundable. A late / post entry fee is $5,675 and the car owner nor the driver get any points.(2-12-2013)(jayski.com)

When was the last dirt track race ran in the Sprint Cup [Grand National] Series?

At State Fairgrounds Speedway (1/2 mile) in Raleigh, NC on September 30, 1970, won by #43-Richard Petty before a crowd of 6,000. It was a 100 mile race, 200 laps, Petty won by 2 laps over #06-Neil Castles. #4-John Sears won the pole with a speed of 71.380mph and finished last of the 23 cars in the field. (jayski.com)

“Racing Behind the Wall” Snippets!

*Early in his career, Michael Waltrip lived with Richard Petty. He started out living with Kyle, but Michael moved out of Kyle’s house and into Richard’s when he and Kyle had an argument that ended with Kyle throwing Michael’s shoes into a lake.

* Texas Motor Speedway has created another culinary delight for race fans! The “Loaded Hawg Dawg” will made its debut during the INDYCAR/NASCAR Camping World Truck Series doubleheader in the Lone Star State. Here’s how the track describes the bacon-infused treat:

“The Loaded Hawg Dawg is a delicious, oversized sandwich featuring a generous portion of slow-cooked pulled pork, two mozzarella cheese sticks and two thick slices of bacon on a foot-long bun. It is then topped off with cheddar bacon jalapeno queso and sliced jalapenos.”

* A little more than a week after becoming a father, Brad Keselowski said his daughter is healthy. As for new dad Brad, he seems to be enjoying the first few days of fatherhood, even if he has yet to engage in one of the novelties that typically comes with first-time parenting.

The 2012 Sprint Cup Series Champion revealed that he had yet to change a diaper, opting to instead leave that duty to girlfriend Paige White, his baby’s mother.

“I haven’t changed one yet,” Keselowski said, “Much like a race car driver should be, you rely on your pit crew, and my pit crew is Paige, and she is great at changing diapers.”

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When did the phrase “Gentlemen, start your engines” begin?

The most famous words in motor sports actually began in open-wheel racing just after World War II. During the late 1940s, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Wilbur Shaw popularized the iconic “Gentlemen, start your engines” before runnings of the Indianapolis 500. Respondents to an unscientific IndyStar.com poll three years ago voted that phrase the most popular tradition at the Indy 500 — more popular than kissing the bricks or the bottle of milk presented to the winning driver. After Shaw’s death in a 1954 plane crash, Tony Hulman Jr. carried on the tradition at the Indy 500 from 1955 to 1977. But it quickly spread beyond Indianapolis and open-wheel racing, becoming engrained amid the starting festivities in all of motor sports. The phrase is believed to have jumped to stock-car racing in the mid-1950s, where its importance and popularity have only continued to surge. But it has also changed.(Kansas City Star), when a female runs a race, the expression commonly used now is “Drivers, start your engines”.(10-9-2011)

Jayski.com

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares special pre-race ritual with his famous father.

Each week before a driver climbs in his or her car, they typically have a pre-race ritual that takes place. Whether it is hugging their significant other, saying a little prayer or eating the same thing each week, drivers often have funny ways of preparing for a race.

However, for Dale Earnhardt Jr., one pre-race tradition is a bit more special and ties him back to his late father.
Prior to each race, Stevie Waltrip, the wife of NASCAR Hall of Famer and FOX NASCAR analyst Darrell Waltrip, writes out a unique Bible verse for Earnhardt to tape inside his car for the race.

Waltrip, who has been a staple in the NASCAR community ever since her husband started racing in the 1970s, began this practice with Dale Earnhardt. The man known by many as “The Intimidator” was described as being “sweet and sensitive” by Waltrip, and he was always looking out for her special verses on race day.

“If it was getting close to race time and I hadn’t given it to him, he’d look around for me and say, ‘Hey, where’s my Bible verse!'” Waltrip told Gannett News Service in a 2001 interview. “One year at North Wilkesboro I was running late and didn’t get down to the track until they were about to start the race. Dale actually got out of his car and came looking for me. He grabbed his verse and ran back and climbed back in his car just in time to start the race.”
Now Waltrip continues that tradition with Dale Jr. Each week before the race she provides him with a verse just as she did with his father. Most weeks, Earnhardt’s girlfriend, Amy Reimann, shares those verses on her personal Twitter account.

Take a look at a few of those special messages Stevie Waltrip has written out for Dale Jr.: